Nylon tapewounds vs Thomastik-Infield jazz flats

[redhotblues]

I was telling a friend about my new Thomastik-Infield jazz flats. To me they are even easier to fret and feel lower tension than round wounds, but give you a classic 'flat' sound with some bite. I've been super impressed with them.

He said "Oh you should try some tape wounds - they are even easier to play".

Now I've never played tape wounds, but I also know he's never had a set of TI's either.

Can anyone who's played both comment? Are tapewounds as easy to play as TI's [or easier as my frined asserts]? I sort of can't believe they would be, but again - I've never played a set so I could be wrong.

 

[Element Zero]

Well, since I’ve run a bit of a gauntlet of flats and tapes... it just depends. I simply love the TI flats. Lower in tension than I’m used to but oh so supple and expressive. Tapes are a different animal entirely. I’ve tried D’Addario Black Tapewounds and La Bella White Nylons. Personally, I love the sound of the D’Addarios. Less tension than the TIs but not rubber bands. I found them quite a bit lacking in the Mids which would work for certain situations, but not all. The La Bella’s, I was extremely disappointed in. VERY floppy rubber bands. Absolutely could not play them with a band. On my own in my Studio? No problem. Live? It was rough. However... the texture of the nylon wrap and overall sound was... AMAZING!!! But in the real world, I would never have been able to get used to the bounciness. I hope this helps.

 

[project_c]

I have DAddario Tapes on 3 of my basses, I love them. I don't find them more floppy than TI's. They're similar in tension to lower gauge rounds. For me TI's felt too loose and the tone was too focused in the high-mids, and they didn't respond well to diggging in, so I didn't like them too much. The tapes have a really nice woody tone, I don't find them lacking anything in the mids at all, I am very happy with the tone I get from them and I gig with them regularly, but they do have a different character to flats or rounds.